9. I cannot accept the Doctrine of the Immaculate Conception. It is not in the Bible.
There is no explicit text in the bible to prove the doctrine. A person whose only guide in things of faith are the direct, explicit statements of the Bible will of course reject the doctrine. (But why does he not also reject the observance of a Sunday Sabbath which is not laid down in the Bible as a day of rest.)

We beg the reader to try to understand that “it is not from the Bible alone that the Church draws her certainty about everything which has been revealed. Sacred Scripture and Tradition are to be venerated with “the same devotion and reverence”. This statement was made by the Pope and Bishops of the whole world meeting in Rome for the Second Vatican Council.

The Church first came into existence and only afterwards came the New Testament. The teaching Authority of the Church was the primary rule of faith for the first Christians. It was impossible to have non-existent New Testament as a rule of faith. Divine tradition alone, founded on the Apostles’ teaching, analysed and reflected on through the ages of the Church under the guidance of the Holy Spirit who was promised by Christ, throw full light on the meaning of Scripture. Jesus promised this when he said: “But the Paraclete the Holy Spirit whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things and bring all things to your mind, whatsoever I shall have said to you” (John 14:26).

We ourselves are cured from original sin by Baptism. Mary was preserved from original sin from the moment of her conception. Mary and ourselves have conquered original sin by the same power of Christ. In the case of Mary it happened by prevention: in our case it happened by cure. This special privilege accorded to Mary is called the Immaculate Conception. Belief in the doctrine has been tradition of the Church from the earliest days and is based on the Church’s interpretation of Genesis 3:15 and other passages.

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